ISLAMABAD: Amidst the deadlock in Pakistan's Parliament on the no-confidence vote against embattled Prime Minister Imran Khan, his close aide on Saturday warned that those who bought MPs will be responsible if martial law is imposed in the country.
The remarks by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry came hours after Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari alleged that Prime Minister Khan was seeking military intervention in the country's political affairs by delaying voting on the no-confidence motion and to create a constitutional crisis.
In an informal chat with journalists inside the Parliament House, Chaudhry said that "those who bought MPs will be responsible if martial law is imposed," Geo News reported.
Nearly two dozen lawmakers from Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party has joined hands with the Opposition to oust the prime minister through the no-trust vote.
The powerful Army, which has ruled the coup-prone country for more than half of its 75 years of existence and has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy.
Interestingly, no Pakistani prime minister has ever completed a full five-year term in office.
Fawad said that Supreme Court is "not above" Parliament.
The apex court had ruled that the rejection of the no-confidence vote against Khan was unconstitutional and revoked the dissolution of the National Assembly.
He said: "We do respect the orders of the Supreme Court and will also let the Opposition fulfil their wish to vote on the no-confidence motion."
Replying to a question regarding when will the voting be held, the information minister said that there are a lot of speeches left to be delivered, adding that "my speech is left."
The crucial session of the National Assembly saw four lengthy adjournments during the day as the Opposition's clamour for immediate voting throughout the day have fallen on deaf ears, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Senior ministers and treasury members made lengthy speeches on the floor of the House in a bid to stall the Opposition's determined bid to oust the cricketer-turned politician.
Earlier, addressing the National Assembly, Bilawal attacked the government of Prime Minister Khan.
He said that Khan has divided the House, the judiciary, the establishment and the entire country.
"The prime minister should show sportsmanship. He is the first captain who is running away from the pitch after taking away the wicket," the Opposition leader said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Vice President Maryam Nawaz has urged the Supreme Court to take an immediate suo moto notice of "brazen violation of its decision" and order arrests of Prime Minister Khan, National Assembly speaker and deputy speaker.